One World Party

Every year here at the University of Warwick, there is 'One World Week' which aims to celebrate global diversity on campus through a range of different events, from hair braiding to belly dancing. Last night we went to 'World Party' - the fab finale party with performances from over 300 students. We went and had an AMAZING time- the societies were all really really good and everyone had a brilliant time.
 
 As ever, my primary concern was my outfit and after buying our tickets, I went in search of the perfect outfit. Ever since I got my gorgeous Luella dress, I have been wanting to wear it but have always been too worried about it getting ruined but I decided that tomorrow would be its first outing. It is just such a beautiful dress and makes me feel like a princess :)
As you can see I wore flats instead of heels, mainly because we had a twenty minute walk onto campus, but also because I wanted to dress it down. I wore my sheer black top underneath to dress it down, but also to give me an extra layer of protection against the -2°C cold...BRR! 


  
 
We took some obligatory shots in our kitchen before we left. Danni was wearing her beautiful lace top with a purple tank top underneath and weirdly enough we ended up co-ordinating with each other beautifully :) 
  
  
  
  
We were very excited about going out...as you can probably tell! ;)


A close up of my top and make-up. It's quite difficult to tell here, but I was wearing my Barry M lilac lipstick. It is maybe less purple than I would have liked but it is quite wearable.


It is SO much easier for boys to get dressed- Mark just threw on a shirt and was ready to go...how unfair?!
  
He is a bit special, bless him! 


Once we got there and FINALLY got inside, we met up with Lisa (our lovely housemate for next year!) for "Happy Hour" which was a bit of a disappointment :(
  
 
We managed to stand right at the very front of the stage for the performances and Danni managed to snap a few picturesof the dancers on her camera.
 
  
  
  
We all had a really nice time, despite the venue being absolutely FREEZING :( After all the perfomances finished we went to a  bar in the new Union.

  
  
  
♥  P.S. Happy 45 months Mark ♥ 
& 

Baking remedies


Feel Better Biscuits
175g Plain Flour
100g Butter
50g Caster Sugar

Preheat the oven to Gas Mark 2 (150 degrees C).
Beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy, then simply sift in the flour.
Mix until you've got a rollable dough, then roll out, cut and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes.
Easy Peasy.

All That Glitters Is Gold

Hello blog, it's been a while. I can't even begin to think of what's happened since I last posted - I was in a different house for a start! Things have been a bit of a mess really - the usual ups and downs seem to have been focused into a tiny period of time and so when things have gone wrong, it has felt purely [and selfishly] catastrophic in my own little world.
I think a lot of students experience similar feelings- you're constantly in limbo: between house and home, family and friends, work and play, and it seems that you can never strike a balance. Finally though, it seems that I'm teetering along that edge between drowning in work and utter boredom, and I now have lots of lovely things to look forward to. One of which is my birthday! Okay, it may be a month away yet, but it is most definitely a light at the end of the tunnel and I've just started pondering over a list..... Mum- beware!

Now, I don't wish to disturb anyone but I think I am developing magpie-like tendencies. I see gold, and I need gold! My heart genuinely skips if I see a cute golden charm necklace, and I'm building up a small but beautiful collection. I bought this one in the sales for £1.50 -eeep!


And so, my birthday list has taken on a somewhat golden theme...


Last, but by no means least is something that I've wanted for ages - a retro gold watch. Originally I wanted the Mini Casio Watch from Urban Outfitters, but after browsing the ASOS website i found another which I really like...

Which one should I choose?!

 Anyway, that's enough pondering for one day, I'm off to do some essay planning before doing LOTS of baking later to cheer up Maria who is feeling a bit poorly : ( Get well soon dear!


The day of the 'black dog '


I think it is fair to say that everyone has days where everything seems to go wrong, but sometimes you experience something that can't just be attributed to a 'bad day'. Winston Churchill described this as his 'black dog'. Many other famous faces have struggled with depression and it is an illness that can affect anyone and everyone.It can be triggered by the smallest (or largest) things but there are often triggers that you experience throughout your life, and if you can spot these, then you can often stop the depression before it has a chance to get a hold on you and spiral out of control.

Due to my overly emotional personality,and my tendency to worry about EVERYTHING, I have been prone to bouts of the 'blues' throughout my teens and now in my twenties. I can often be quite paranoid, something that isn't helped by my insecurity and complete lack of confidence. Some days I can be happy and relatively carefree but some days I just want everything to STOP. Brooke Shields described being depressed as "I just felt as though I would never be happy again, and as if I had fallen into a big black hole." If even famous faces who have the world at their feet feel down, then how can normal people expect to escape the clutches of the 'black dog'? I think there is a tendency with depression to keep it hidden away, perhaps with the hope that out of sight will mean out of mind, especially as a teenager. People can be very quick to dismiss it as a "phase" when you are brave enough to reach out and this causes you to keep it hidden even deeper. So what can you do? 

First of all, try and remember that it is NOT YOUR FAULT.Take a step back from the situation (I know this is often easier said than done) and try to calm yourself down. What has triggered your sadness? I find that when I get stressed about work or if I am ill, I am MUCH more irritable and prone to feeling down. It is SO tempting to just stay in bed or on the sofa all day but if you are doing something, you often don't have time to fret about what is worrying you. Obviously, if your essay or assignment is what is stressing you out, then it is a good idea to do this! Just not straight away. Have a bath or shower first. Wash your face. Weirdly enough, brushing my teeth always helps me to feel a bit more positive. Do whatever it takes to get you out of bed and up to face the world.

Once you have identified your triggers you can work out ways to circumvent or completely avoid them. For example, if you are having trouble with an assignment, go to your lecturer. If it's boyfriend trouble, talk to your friends. If your friends are the problem either try talking things over with them or just try and find some new people to befriend. Sometimes it can be easier to talk to someone who is removed from the situation as they can give you a more balanced opinion on the situation you find yourself in. 

Surround yourself with people that you love and trust. If you trust them you can tell them what you are thinking or feeling without worrying that they are judging you or going to think you are being stupid. Your friends are there for you when you need them...so take full advantage of their love and support. I am lucky enough to have my lovely boyfriend Mark and Danni to listen to me and to make me literally laugh myself silly. However silly my problem they are there for me and that is something I can't thank them enough for. My family are also there for me when I need someone just to talk things over with and nothing can beat a hug from your mum or dad!

The internet is your friend in this situation. Whether it is joining groups on Facebook or browsing pictures on We Heart It, there is bound to be something to cheer you up.

What are your tips for when you are feeling down? Do you have certain people who you confide in or turn to for help?

Snowflakes and Cupcakes

Today I actually ventured out into the snow (albeit for 20 minutes as that's just about how long I can stand!) and love love loved how pretty everything seemed! Even the somewhat ordinary village of Wall Heath was sprinkled with a little quaintness and was full of children actually enjoying the outdoors rather than sitting silently in front of their computers (hypocritical I know). Something that my friend Holly mentioned earlier really made me think - after seeing all those kids getting excited at the potential of sledging and building snowmen, when did we suddenly grow up and lose all that innocence? Here I am, 19 years old living away from home and finding myself already half way through my degree. Where did all that time go? I miss my childhood : (


Anyway, after having a slightly discomforting day where everything you pick up drops on the floor, and everything you plan to do is halted in some way or another, I thought I'd cheer myself up with some baking. I think I may have addiction - cupcakes anonymous anyone?!
Firstly I made some Very Cherry cupcakes using chopped maraschino cherries in a basic cake mix as well as adding their syrup to some icing.





They turned out perfect - the cake was slightly crunchy on the outside, but the syrup helped keep them moist and soft on the inside. YUM!

Next up I tried out a variation of a recipe that I've had my eye on for a few days. It's a recipe for Blondie cupcakes (think pale brownies) and is basically a cake topped with chocolate chips and nuts. But as we have an abundance of Christmas chocolates lying around i decided to chop these up instead, adding chocolate Brazils (also festive leftovers!) and chopped pecans. They look pretty scrumptious and I'm now typing this extra quickly so that i can go and try one!







Have you been enjoying the snow? Let us know!

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